Importance of Marriage Registration in India and its Procedure

The article discusses about the importance of marriage certificate and the benefits of getting the marriage registered. Read on to learn about the documents required as well as the procedure of marriage registration.

If you are planning to get legally married, there is one thing you must not forget, which the marriage certificate is! The marriage certificate is a document issued by the civil registrar that certifies the act of marriage, date, time and place where the marriage has solemnized. The authorization shall be granted in such cases by the Judge in charge or those who justify the legitimate interest grounds.

To certify your marriage, you must have your marriage certificate documented. This certification is required as a proof that you are legally married to a person. While applying for passport, opening a bank account after wedding and other legal activities require you to have your marriage certificate. A marriage certificate is also required in case you want to apply for life insurance policies. There are even chances of marriage disputes in certain cases, and marriage certificate can be a very strong proof of the fact that you are legally married.

There is a directive by the Honorable Supreme Court dated 14.2.2006, which states that it is mandatory for the couples to register their marriages, no matter which religion, caste or creed they belong to. If you have not registered your wedding, this can be seen as a crime and is a punishable offence.

The Supreme Court suggests that the marriages must be registered under either the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 or the Special Marriage Act 1954. The unregistered weddings are not considered as illegitimate, but the Indians need to compulsorily register their marriages.

Marriage registration brings in a number of benefits, which include:

Easy legal proceedings in case of succession of property to the spouse.

After dissolution of first marriage, a person is able to enter the matrimonial alliance for the second time.

For the transfer of property or the custody of kids in case of legal separation, the court requires a certificate of marriage to be produced in the family court.

In case one of the spouses is working abroad and wants to take along his/her partner then he/she will require the marriage certificate to obtain the work permit from the country’s consulate. The foreign embassies do not issue the work permit in the absence of a valid marriage certificate in these cases.

Documents required

You need to submit the following documents for a civil wedding:

Photocopies of National Identity of the couple, passport or residence card.

Certificate of residence.

Certificate of nationality.

Certificate of singleness and marital status affidavit.

Updated birth certificate issued by the Civil Registry of the place of birth.

Signature of two witnesses.

It is important to note the expiration dates of all documents for the celebration of civil marriage.

Procedure

The procedure to get the marriage registered:

1. Appear in person at the Civil Registry Office of the place of marriage

2. Apply for civil marriage registration, providing the required documents and providing the requested information to civil registrar about the place of marriage

3. Signing the registration and receiving a copy of the Civil Registry of Marriage.

This certification is very important particularly for the women as it can prove to be an important document, which can be helpful to contest for their legal rights. Delhi government has made it mandatory to possess marriage certification and if someone fails to produce it, he may have to pay a hefty fine of Rs. 10,000.

Author: Rashmi Karan writes for Jeevansathi.com, a premier matrimonial site that enables you to find the perfect match online, from all the communities of India Such as Hindu.